Grandma's House?

This is brilliant! I just had to share.



From the creative mind of Not Martha. What else will she come up with?!

UPDATE: She's made some changes!

Image: notmartha.org

A little Food Discovery

One of my staple meals is whole grain pasta with tomato sauce and fresh spinach. Every once in a while I pick up a new sauce flavor at the grocery store. Last week I tried Bertolli's Tomato & Basil. For a while I had been getting their Five Cheese sauce but thought maybe I was overdoing the cheese thing. (Note: my favorite things are cheese and nuts.) Even with a cheese-included sauce I would still usually throw on some grated Parmesan! At the same time though I hedged my bets and also picked up some Bertolli Alfredo sauce because well, I really didn't want the non-cheese sauce, I guess.

As it turns out, the Tomato & Basil just didn't do it for me so yesterday I added a bit of the Alfredo to it and...well YUM, the resulting tomato cream sauce was wonderful. So, I'm just putting that out there for anyone interested.

*The linked sauce names lead you to recipes that Bertolli has created using those particular sauces. Enjoy.

Coconut Pancakes, Anyone?

While searching the Web, a notice about the Original Pancake House restaurant in Chicago mentions a new addition to their the menu that got my attention. As written in the March 19 edition of the Chicago Tribune:

"...coconut pancakes ($7.29), which have roasted-coconut flakes in the buttermilk batter, shredded coconut on top, and a tropical syrup made with reduced orange juice and lots of orange and lemon zest..."

Does anyone know of a recipe for this? Of course I could probably create one using that delicious-sounding detailed description but I am just wondering if someone has already come up with it.

Yes, I am lazy.

Update: Guess what I just found out. This restaurant is a nation-wide chain and there is one in Virginia! Yay! Check out their mouth-watering offerings in pancakes, waffles, and crepes!

Just call me "cupcake"

Creamsicle cupcakes!

I have one of those offices that uses any occasion to have cake, pie, cupcakes, or even sometimes fruit (?) in the break room. It seems I talk A LOT about cupcakes at work because a co-worker now thinks that should be my nickname. Oops!

So when I saw this a few minutes ago I knew first, I had to send this to that co-worker and second, I needed to post it here for you. I know from my sites on Bloglines that most of you will appreciate this as much as I do. Enjoy!

Click here for lots of cupcake recipes from Food.com.

Ahhh, the joys of childhood...

I'm feeling nostalgic AND hungry. From Williams-Sonoma, animal cracker cookie cutters! This set of five is $20. I feel tempted to buy these. The theme-related cookie jar is $50 and I have been wanting a cookie jar too.


However, even if I don't buy these (and I really shouldn't as I have cookie cutters that I've never used!) I could still get that distinctive smell and flavor because at the bottom of that cookie cutter order page, W-S posted the recipe and a cookie making video. So, maybe animal crackers without the animals?

Still sounds good to me!

Sweet Potato Loveliness

I have not posted a recipe in a long time.

Well, here's one that made my mouth water. This one comes from the same place the first sweet potato one did, Apartment Therapy: The Kitchen* and the recipe is here.

Just look at that and tell me that doesn't look good? I immediately thought it would only get better if you added some crispy bacon to it and I rarely eat any pork products.

Well, have you ever had sweet potato fries? If not, you have to try them. I get my crinkle-cut fries from McCain at the grocery store. For ultimate crispiness in fries, always get the crinkle-cut. I've heard some people dip their fries in maple syrup but I think that's a bit overkill. I think they are better matched with seasonings and salt.

Country Living oven-baked version
Food Network version with basil salt and a garlic mayonnaise

*now simply known as The Kitchn.

What I'm looking at today...

Vera Wang's new collection at Kohl's. It's really impressive, clothing, shoes, lingerie, and bedding. My only question is why so dark, Vera? The color palette shown on the website seems to be only black, white, gray, brown. Though if you check individual pieces there are some livelier color choices like purple, teal blue, and pink.

Emily's easy recipe for Rosemary and Olive Oil bread. Check out that close up of the crumbly, buttery-looking crust. Yum!

Inside the Paley Center panel discussions. Unscripted discussions from casts of some of the best shows on television at The Paley Center of Media, FKA the Museum of Television and Radio. Excerpts are from shows such as Lost, 30 Rock, Brothers & Sisters, House, and Grey's Anatomy, etc.

I'm inspired by this decor8 post. I like the lamp shades decorated with what looks like children's art. I know one little artist (The Julia*) that could decorate her new baby sister's nursery in a really cool way (or maybe I'll just get a lampshade for me!) Ha! When I saw her drawings I was originally thinking possible pillows but now...

Raw Food Ice Cream...seriously?

I'm not so sure about the Raw Food diet, but this sounds SO good:

Joellies Jollotti*

• Meat of 1 young coconut
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or honey)
  
• 1/4 cup cacao chips (or any dark chocolate chip)
  
• 1 tsp mint extract

Blend all ingredients together until creamy.
Freeze and enjoy!

*Recipe by Chef Joel Odhner of Rawlifeline.com

Peaches and cheese?

I scooped this easy recipe from the blog Something to Say. I must try this. It's a weird combination but my mouth is already watering.

Cut some peaches in half and grill them or cook them in a cast iron skillet until heated throughout. Immediately fill the hollows with 3 tablespoons of gorgonzola or blue cheese and some walnuts. If desired, you can drizzle them with honey too.

Thank you, thank you Sara Kate!

I just saw this recipe on Apartment Therapy: The Kitchen

Sweet Morning Potato

1 sweet potato, cooked
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (or other nut)

Warm the potato. Open it across the top, pushing the flesh slightly to rise out of the skin. Spoon on the yogurt, then the syrup. Sprinkle with nuts, and serve.

- Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan

Yummy, YuM, YUM

All I can say is this site is food porn, so beware.

This woman in San Francisco makes the most incredible cupcakes with names such as:

Samoas^® Cupcake
Rich Chocolate Cupcakes Filled with Chocolate-Mint Ganache with Topped with Mint Buttercream
Coconut Rice Pudding Stuffed Cupcakes with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting & Fruit
Ricotta Raspberry Almond Cupcakes with Citrus Meringue Frosting
Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache



I will just show you the mouth-watering pictures (she takes them herself) and command you to go to Chockylit's Cupcake Bakeshop.






If you feel adventurous, the recipes are on the site too. William and Sonoma just started selling this which will make those last cupcakes even cooler.

Enjoy

You're gonna eat what?!

You know these can’t be good for you. But they sound so good.

Bacon Crisp
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 sleeve buttery rectangular crackers (recommended: Waverly Wafers*)
1 pound sliced bacon, cut in 1/2

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Place 1 teaspoon of the cheese on each cracker and wrap tightly with a strip of bacon.
3. Place the wrapped crackers on a broiler rack on a baking sheet and put the baking sheets on the oven rack.
   
4. Bake for 2 hours, or until the bacon is done. Do not turn. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature.
5. Cook's note: You can also bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes if you're in a hurry!
   

* Or try Keebler's Club® Crackers


Grilled Cheese with Peanut Butter Sandwich

From The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook, by Lee Zalben (Quirk Books).

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 slices white bread
2 tablespoons Smooth Operator™ or Crunch Time™ peanut butter*
3 slices American cheese, preferably orange or yellow

1. Preheat a grill pan or griddle over medium heat.
2. Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Spread the peanut butter on the other side of one of the slices. Lay the cheese on the peanut butter and top with the other slice of bread, butter side up.
3. Place the sandwich on the grill pan. Cook the sandwich for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
4. Remove to a cutting board, slice in half, and serve immediately.

* In Virginia, you can find their peanut butters at most Ukrops, Krogers, or Whole Foods.

Get your Girl Scout cookies fast...

they will no longer be on sale after next week. However, if you stock up you could eat them throughout the year in these recipes I found on the Little Brownies Bakers website. They are one of two companies licensed to bake the cookies that we love so much. Enjoy!

Southern Peanut Butter Pie

1 pkg. Tagalongs1 pkg. (3-1/2 ounce) vanilla pudding
1-1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup peanut butter

Grind cookies in blender or food processor and press into a 9-inch pie plate. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions using only 1-1/2 cups milk. Stir in peanut butter. Pour into pie shell. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with whipped topping and crushed peanuts.

Mint Delight (Makes 10-12 servings)

1 pkg. of Thin Mint cookies (crushed)
3 tbsp. butter or margarine (melted)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) softened cream cheese
2 pkgs. (8 oz. size) instant chocolate pudding
3 cups milk
4 cups whipped topping

Combine cookies with melted butter or margarine, (save ¼ cup of cookies for topping). Press cookie mixture on bottom of 13" x 9" pan. Chill. Combine cream cheese with 1 cup whipped topping. Spread over cookie mixture. Chill for 15 to 20 minutes. Prepare pudding with 3 cups of milk and pour over cream cheese mixture. Chill for 1 hour or until ready to serve. Top with remaining whipped topping and Thin Mint cookie crumbs.
Reduced Fat Lemon Chiffon Cooler

1 pkg. 3 oz. Lemon Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1⁄4 cup sugar
8 oz. tub non-fat whipped topping
1 pkg. Lemon Coolers cookies (crushed)

Prepare Jell-O with hot water only. Refrigerate until begins to set. (If set, leave out to soften.) Spread ¾ crumbs in 9" x 9" pan. In bowl, blend sugar with cream cheese. Add Jell-O. Whip. Gently fold in one half or 4 oz. of topping. Spread mixture over crumbs. Top with 4 oz. of topping. Refrigerate several hours. Garnish with ¼ of crumbs just before serving. (Recipe can be doubled for a 9" x 13" pan.)